MAIN TYPES OF TOURISM

Tourism: is the business of providing services such as transport, places to stay or entertainment
for people who temporarily leave the place where they normally live, work or study. It includes
how they move around and what they do when they get there.
Tourists: travel from place to place using the services and facilities provided by the tourism
organizations and industry.
Tourist: a person who travels temporarily from one place to another

1. Domestic tourism
a type of tourism where tourists travel within their country of residence (where they live)
is when a tourist travels within their own country.

Domestic tourism has advantages for tourists. These are:

• There are no language barriers. This allows the tourist to travel around easily.
• The currency is the same, therefore the tourist does not have to pay currency exchange
costs.
• The culture is similar, which ensures the tourist does not experience culture shock.
• Travel documentation (for example, a passport or a visa) is not required. These can cost
money and take time to acquire.
• Tourists may be able to use their own transport (for example, cars). This can reduce costs
and increase the convenience for the tourist.
• Domestic tourists can prepare their trip and depart very quickly. For example, they can
decide to leave and be ready to depart the next day. This helps to increase the demand for
domestic tourism
• The environmental impacts of domestic tourism are often less. There are more
opportunities for tourists to avoid flying, travel shorter distances and use public transport.
• Domestic tourism is less affected by global shocks as tourists will often feel safer from
any threats or a lack of certainty when travelling in their own country.
• Domestic tourism can increase the understanding of national culture and heritage.

2. Inbound tourism
is when a tourist from one country travels to another that is not their normal country of
residence. For example, if a tourist travelled from China to Malaysia, they would be an
inbound tourist to Malaysia. The tourism industry in a country will closely monitor which
countries their inbound tourists are from; they are known as the country’s source market for
tourism.
Source market: the country that inbound tourists to a destination have travelled from (their
country of residence)

3. Outbound tourism

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 is when a tourist leaves the country where they normally live and travel to another country.
For example, a tourist who travels from China to Malaysia would be considered an outbound
tourist as they are travelling out of China.

4. International tourism
Tourists travelling internationally, inbound or outbound, is called international
tourism.International tourism takes more preparation and planning than domestic tourism.
This depends on where tourists travel from and how far they travel.

Preparation may include:

• currency exchange
• transport e.g. flights need to be booked before travel can take place
• passports documents need to be up to datevisas must be obtained for entry into the
country
• preparing for experiencing a different language and culture.

5. Day trip
Not all forms of tourism require the tourist to stay overnight in another place.
A day trip is a form of tourism where the tourist returns home the same day; they travel for
less than 24 hours, therefore there is no overnight stay. There are many reasons why people
take day trips. Reasons include pleasure (e.g. travelling to the beach or a city); work (e.g.
attending a meeting in another city or country); or visiting friends and relatives. Often people
do not realise they are a tourist when taking a day trip. It is useful to think back to the
explanation of what tourism is. If the person is travelling away from the place where they
normally live, work or study, they are a tourist.

6. Short break
This is when a tourist stays away from their home for four nights or less. This could be a
weekend trip or a mid-week trip.Short breaks are popular as second holidays or for people
who cannot stay away from home for longer periods of time because of work, health or other
commitments.Short breaks have increased in popularity because of several factors; these
include:
• more and easier access to different transport methods
• increased wealth in some countries
• increasing demand for tourism.
When thinking about the different types of tourism, it is important to consider where the
tourist’s home is, where they are normally resident. There are so many variables, for
example,

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 - some countries are large, and travel can take a long time; in Russia or the United States of
America, for example, domestic tourism can require a long-haul flight
- Other countries are small, or the tourist may live close to an international border and can
travel internationally as a day trip.

MAIN REASONS WHY PEOPLE TRAVEL

The reasons why people travel are categorised based on the tourist’s main motivation for travel.
There are three main reasons why people travel. These are:
➢ leisure
➢ business
➢ visiting friends and family (VFR).

Leisure travel: is when tourists travel for the purpose of leisure, enjoyment or recreation,
widely known as a holiday or vacation. These travellers are known as leisure tourists.
Leisure tourists: people who travel for the purpose of leisure, enjoyment or recreation
- The most common type of holidays are sun, sea and sand holidays; however, there are
many other types of holidays, for example, sightseeing, shopping and pilgrimages.
- Leisure tourists are only able to travel for the time they have available away from
commitments such as work, school or family responsibilities.
- Their main focus is enjoyment.
- Leisure travel varies in length from short breaks of up to four nights or longer, or for one
or two weeks.
- The distance travelled has a significant influence on leisure holidays. Few leisure tourists
are willing to travel long distances for a short break lasting three or four days as the
journey itself can take a day of their available time.

Business travel: is when tourists travel for the purpose of work – they are known as business
tourists. Business tourists travel alone or with other work colleagues.
Business travel: travel for the purpose of work to attend a meeting, take an incentive trip, and
attend a conference or an exhibition
Business tourist: a person who travels for the purpose of work to attend a meeting, take an
incentive trip, attend a conference or an exhibition

- Business travel is paid for by the company the tourist works for. In most cases the
company will choose and organise the transport for the business tourist. The business also
choose and organise a place for the tourist to stay. However, in some cases, business
tourists will be given a budget and the freedom to choose a place to stay within that
particular budget.Business tourists travel throughout the year, and travel is not influenced
by as many factors as leisure travel, such as the weather or school holidays. Business
tourists have to travel when their company tells them to, or when there is a work-related

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 need to go. Equally, they need to return once the work is complete, so they rarely have
time to enjoy sightseeing in the destination they are visiting.
The different types of business travel are known by the acronym MICE. Each type of business
travel has a set of typical characteristics as seen in the table below
Meetings Business tourists meet for the purpose of exchanging information and
making sales or future plans.
o Typically, they involve a small number of people.
o They can be hosted within the company’s own offices.
o The length of time depends on what needs to be achieved in the
meeting and can vary from one hour to several days

Incentives A trip given to an employee as a reward for good work. Business

tourists may be required to work while taking the incentive, for
example, teamwork days or learning about a place or product
o They can be for an individual or for a small number of people.
o Incentives can be hosted anywhere and for any length of time.
These are decided by the company giving the incentive and are
heavily influenced by the cost.

Conferences Business tourists attend for the purpose of learning about and
discussing a topic of common interest with guest speakers.
o Large numbers of people attend.
o They require a large space and specialist equipment so are
typically hosted in specialist venues.
o Conferences will have a set agenda (timetable of events) and
usually take place over several days e.g. 3–5 days.

Exhibitions Business tourists attend to network (meet other people in their industry)
and to stay up to date on the latest developments in their industry.
Products are displayed and business tourists walk around meeting and
talking to people from other companies
o Exhibitions vary in size, typically medium to large.
o They are usually hosted over 3–5 days.
o They require a large space and are often held in specialist venues.

Advances in technology and changing global situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, along
with an increased knowledge and understanding of the environmental impact of travel, have
changed the way businesses communicate. More meetings are held virtually, guests can join a
conference remotely or follow industry developments online, resulting in less need for business
travel. Business travel is likely to change further in the future as society and technology changes
even more.

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 Visiting friends and relatives (VFR): is when tourists travel for the primary purpose of
visiting other people, such as friends or family, to spend time with them. They are known as
VFR tourists; this includes weddings and funerals.
Most VFR tourists will stay with their friends or family. This makes it cheaper for the tourist.
However, this is less beneficial for the travel and tourism industry because the tourists are not
spending money on hotels or other forms of accommodation, which contributes to the local
economy. VFR tourists usually have days out or meals in restaurants with their friends or
family, go shopping and spend money on other goods or services within the area they are
visiting. Increased global migration and opportunities to work or study abroad have resulted
in more VFR travel and tourism as people visit their friends and family a round the world.

Special interest travel

The reasons why we travel are complex. There are reasons for travel that are hard to place
into one of the three main categories of leisure, business or VFR. Tourists may travel for a
special purpose or a special interest which is not travel for business or for VFR. However, it
may also not be simply for pleasure and enjoyment as with leisure travel. A good example of
this is travel for medical reasons. Travel for medical reasons is when a tourist travels for an
essential or non-essential procedure, such as surgery. This may be because the procedure is
not available in their home country or because it is cheaper in another country. This includes
travel for cosmetic (when people want to change their appearance) or dental procedures.
Other types of special interest travel include:
• religious reasons – travel for religious journeys or pilgrimages to special places, for
example, to Jerusalem or Mecca•
• adventure – travel aimed at taking part in adventurous activities or travel with a degree of
risk, for example, trekking, climbing or kayaking
• cultural reasons – travel to learn or experience other cultures
• sports – travel to watch a sports team or to take part in sports, for example, competing in
a marathon in another city or country
• health and well-being – travel to improve happiness, health and wellness. An example of
this is spa tourism. These categories of special interest travel are forever changing as
global situations, fashions and trends change.

SUSTAINABILITY IN TRAVEL AND TOURISM

Our actions today can affect the future. For example, travelling to a tourist destination can cause
pollution. Aircraft, ships, boats, cars, trains and buses can cause air pollution. Tourism
developments such as built attractions affect the natural environment. Building airports can mean
clearing forests. Clean sea water can be polluted by waste water from hotels. Animal habitats
(homes) can be damaged. Tourism developments can affect the people who live in these
destinations. Traditional ways of life can be lost. For example, developing a tourism resort
beside the sea may stop local people from fishing. Some local people’s way of making a living
could be lost.

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Sustainability: is about trying to protect the future environment and people’s way of life from
harm. Sustainable tourism today protects the future environment and people’s way of life into the
future. Tourists and tourism providers can behave in sustainable ways by reducing, reusing and
recycling resources.
sustainable travel and tourism: going to visit places in ways that help sustain or conserve the
environment and how people live
eco-friendly: describes products and behaviors that do little or no harm to the natural
environment
Sustainable travel and tourism is:
❖ travelling to destinations in ways that are sustainable, for example, travelling by train
instead of by air
❖ staying in and visiting destinations in ways that are sustainable, for example, staying in
eco-friendly accommodation.

Ecotourism and responsible tourism

Ecotourism and responsible tourism are two types of sustainable tourism.
Ecotourism is tourism for visitors who want to visit the natural environment. A tourist staying
overnight on an organic farm in France could be an example of an ecotourist. The farm might
provide eco-friendly accommodation if, for example:
▪ meals are made from organic food produced on the farm
▪ waste is recycled
▪ electricity is generated on the farm using wind or solar power.
Ecotourism is responsible tourism because responsible tourism involves behaving respectfully
towards the environment and local people.
Tourism to any destination can be responsible if visitors behave respectfully towards the
environment and the local people. Tourists to a city destination can be responsible tourists if, for
example, the tourists:
do not litter in the streets or make too much noise
hire a local tour guide
spend money in locally owned shops and restaurants.
Remember that sustainability is about what we do today to save and protect the environment and
people’s lives in the future.
Ecotourism is about only visiting the natural environment, but responsible tourism can be about
visiting any type of destination.

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 CHARACTERISTICS OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM
Introduction
The travel and tourism industry has specific characteristics that make it different from any other
industry. Understanding these characteristics is critical to understanding travel and tourism.

Products
There are two different types of travel and tourism products. These are: goods and services. Goods are
physical products, items that are tangible and that you can touch and store, for example, a suitcase or a travel guidebook. A
service is intangible: you cannot touch it as it is an action done on your behalf, for example, a taxi ride
from the airport to a hotel.

Services
Travel and tourism is a service. It involves people doing things for the tourist. For example, when a tourist buys a
ferry ticket, they are paying to ride the ferry at the stated time and experience the services provided on that
trip. The captain will steer the ferry on the tourists’ behalf so they can experience the journey. Travel and
tourism organizations provide a wide variety of services, for example, transport, accommodation, guided tours,
entertainment, visitor attractions, food and beverage and currencyexchange.

Intangible
Travel and tourism services are intangible. Thismakes it very difficult for organisations to represent their service
before a tourist buys it. For example, a tourist cannot test or sample the ferry journey before purchasing
a ticket; all they can do is read the information provided about the journey and trust that it will meet
their needs and wants as stated in the marketing materials. Travel and tourism services are experiences. These
organisations sell a promise: a promise of an enjoyable time, of good customer service and having all
needs and wants met. This can cause problems as different tourists will have differentneeds and wants. One
tourist may want the ferry journey to be fast and efficient so they can get to their next destination quickly.
Another tourist may want the journey to be relaxing – an opportunity to view the scenery. Despite
potential differences, there are some wants and needs that are similar, for example, both of these tourists need
the journey to be safe and comfortable.

Perishable
Travel and tourism services are perishable. This means they cannot be stored for use or sale at another time.
If a ferry has a maximum of 200 tickets available foreach specific journey and they only sell 150 tickets for that
particular trip, they cannot store the extra 50 tickets and sell them
with their next journey – the tickets have perished and can no longer be used. This results in the ferry
operator missing out on sales and money.

Products: goods and services

Although travel and tourism is a service, many organisations will also sell goods, for example, a
museum may sell or provide guidebooks to increase tourists’ enjoyment and understanding when at
the museum, or a visitor attraction may sell souvenirs so tourists can remember their time at the
attraction.

It is important to remember that it is only services that are perishable and intangible. Travel and tourism goods can
be stored and are tangible.

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Sometimes it can be difficult to determine whether the product can be termed a good or a service. For example, think about a
meal in a restaurant: the food provided is tangible, therefore it is considered to be a good. However, the meal will have been
cooked and prepared by a chef, which is an intangible service. Therefore, themeal in the restaurant can be regarded as both a
good and a service.

All travel and tourism products are provided for tourists’ enjoyment, regardless of being a good or a service.
The products are there to meet the needs and wants of the tourist, and to ensure they have a safe and
enjoyable experience.

Seasonality
Travel and tourism is seasonal. The demand for products will vary throughout the year; this
is known as seasonality.
At certain times of the year, destinations or tourism organisations may receive high numbers of
tourists; atother times, the number of tourists may be low. Travel andtourism organisations
also experience changes in demandover a week. For example, an attraction may be very busyat the
weekend and less busy in the week.
There are several factors that cause seasonality :
• weather and climate
• religion
• school and national holidays
• special events or festivals.
Travel and tourism organisations and destinations will split the year into different seasons so they can understand
and manage their seasonality. The most common split is peak season and off- peak season. Overcoming
seasonality can be a difficult challenge. Travel and tourism organisations and destinations need to attract tourists in
the months when demand is low, or lower than peak season. This can be done by:

• reducing the price of the services to encourage tourists

• providing different facilities or activities for different weather conditions
• providingall-weather facilities
• hosting events and festivals
• attracting other types of tourists who are able and willing to travel in the off-peak season
Dynamic
Travel and tourism products are dynamic. They are always changing and evolving as the industry develops
to meet changing customer needs and wants, external influences and developments in technology. Travel and
tourism organisations have to adapt and change their products to meet changing customer demands.
Increasingly, tourists want products they can adapt or personalise to their own specific needs and
wants. This is evident in air travel:
tourists can now book specific aircraft seats, meals and airport lounge experiences on the airline’s website.

Increasingly sustainable
Tourists increasingly want travel and tourism products to be sustainable. They are more aware of the impact travel
has on the environment, economies and people. As a result, tourism organisations are now making products
more sustainable. For example, many visitor attractions work with local schools to provide educational
experiences. This benefits both the visitor attraction and the local community.

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Resilient
The travel and tourism industry is resilient. It can surviveand recover after difficult situations or
conditions.Difficult situations, often called ‘shocks’, can be on a global scale, for example, the
COVID-19 pandemic. They can beon a national scale, for example, terrorist attacks; or local,
for example, natural disasters like floods or hurricanes. These ‘shocks’ disrupt our ability and
willingness to travel and take part in tourism. However, because the industry isso dynamic, it is
able to quickly adapt, change and survive. This has been proven time and time again.Resilience
and the other characteristics make travel andtourism a very special and unique industry.

TYPES OF TOURISTS
Introduction
There are many different types of tourists, all of which have their own set of characteristics. These
characteristics will affect the decisions tourists make when travelling and using different travel and tourism
products.

In addition to helping destinations to overcome seasonality, domestic tourism can help destinations to manage other changes
in demand, for example, from local or global ‘shocks’. This was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic whenmany
countries closed borders and restricted international travel. Destinations saw their demand disappear in both peak season and
off-peak season. However, in some countries tourists wereallowed to travel within their own country or area. Domestic
tourists created some demand for tourismproducts.

Different types of tourists can be classified according to their:

❖ reason for travel (e.g. leisure, business,special interest)
❖ preferences when choosing or using traveland tourism products (e.g. the preferencesof
independent tourists, responsible touristsor ecotourists)
❖ needs when travelling and using tourism products(e.g. the needs of families, individuals, couples,
groups, or tourists with specific needs).
Some travel and tourism products will be suitable for all types of tourists. For example, a hotel
or a journey on an aeroplane could be used by any type of tourist. Other products are specifically for
different tourist types, for example, a conference room is provided for business tourists to host a
conference or to attend an exhibition. An outline of the reasons for travel is provided in 1.2 Main reasons
why people travel. Looking at the characteristics of these tourists gives a greater understanding of them.

Leisure tourists

Leisure tourists are usually concerned about price and will have a budgeted amount of money
available for theholiday/trip; therefore, they are
price sensitive
. They usetheir free time to travel; enjoyment and value for money aretheir main aims. Many
leisure tourists are time-constrainedand can only travel when they have time available awayfrom
work or education. Therefore, leisure tourists are oneof the main reasons for seasonal demand
in the industry.The products tourists use depend on their reason fortravel. On the one hand, a

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leisure tourist on a sun, seaand sand holiday may want an affordable hotel locatedclose to the
beach. On the other hand, a leisure touristtaking a day trip to a domestic city may want to visit a
Museum or use local transport providers.

Business tourists
Business tourists travel for specific work tasks and, as a result, they have little or no time
to enjoy the destination they are visiting. They travel to a destination to complete a work task, and then
travel back as soon as the task is complete. Therefore they are time sensitive Business tourists have a
specific set of characteristics:
have little or no choice regarding when or where they travel. This is decided by the
business task to be completed.
Travel is often arranged at short notice.
Location is essential. They will want to be located close to amenities such as transport and
restaurants, for theirconvenience.
They require products that fit around their work commitments, for example, earlybreakfast..
Travelexpensesarepaidforbythebusiness.As aresult, they generally spend more than leisure tourists.
They travel all year round, often out of peak season. This helps to solve the problem of
seasonality for some travel and tourism organisations.
They typically travel alone or sometimes with other colleagues. Some tourists have specific
preferences when choosing or using travel and tourismproducts.
Independent tourists
Independent tourists book their travel and holiday experiences themselves. They are focused on having the freedom to
choose. They will put together a travel itinerary or holiday experience according to their own preferences. They will
book transport and activities separately, allowingthem to have greater flexibility
and independence. The number of independent tourists is increasing .More and more people are preferring greater
flexibility and variety in their travel and tourism experiences.

Special interest tourists

Touristsmay travel for a special purpose or interest. Examples of these are discussed in 1.2 Main reasons why people
travel . These tourists will have specific requirements depending on the reason they are travelling. For
example, a special interest tourist who is travelling for cultural reasons may want products which allow them to experience
and learn about the local culture of the place they are visiting. This could be a local event or festival, a
museum, local cuisine, localmusic or dance .In contrast, a special interest tourist who is travelling for adventure
tourism will want physically challenging activities that are exciting and safe. This may come in the form of an
instructor as part of a holiday package or simply any necessary equipment the tourist hires. When thinking
about special interest tourists, it is important to consider exactly what their special interest is. This will
influence the products they are interested in, their needs and their requirements. There are a lot of different
travel and tourism products available for special interest tourists. This is because of the increasing variety of
options for special interest travel.

Responsible tourists
Responsible tourists focus on behaving respectfully towards the environment and local people when
travelling. Their requirements when travelling can varyaccording to their personal preferences. A common
preference for all responsible tourists is focusing on travelling in a responsible way that minimises any negative
impacts – this is responsible tourism.

Ecotourists
Ecotourists travel to experience the natural environment, making as little impact on the
environment as possible. They are focused on nature and the natural

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elements of the place they are visiting, and will seek to experience that as responsibly as
possible. Ecotourism is their entire focus throughout the whole experience. Therefore,
they will only be interested in travel and tourism products that are environmentally
friendly and responsible. This might include locally sourced food, environmentally
friendly transport methods, or nature-based
activities such as trekking or wildlife watching. Characteristics of ecotourists include the following:
➢ travel to experience specific natural elements of the place they are visiting.
➢ They want to minimize any negative impacts, environmental or other wise.
➢ They seek education and want to raise environmental awareness.
➢ They want to provide financial benefits for the environment and local area. This can be done by
purchasing food and activities locally.
➢ They respect the local culture. Some tourists will have specific needs when travelling and using
travel and tourism products. Their needs and wants, and the ways in which travel and tourism
organisations provide for them, is considered in 2.2 The features and appeal of destinations.

Families
Families come in manydifferent forms and will usually include people from different age groups. There are
many variations of family groups. Some common types are:
➢ parent(s) with babies and/or young children
➢ parent(s) with teenage children
➢ parent(s) with young children and teenagers
➢ grandparents, parents and children
➢ grandparents and grandchildren
➢ adults and senior/older relatives.
Families may travel for leisure, special interest or VFR. This category of tourist does not include business
tourists. Family tourists prefer products that are suitable for all members of the family, regardless of the
combination of their family group. For example, a family taking a short break to a city and visiting a museum
may want children’s activities, detailed information on the exhibits for the adults, and a café or restaurant
for them all to have refreshments together.

Individuals
Individual tourists travel alone. They can be of any age, and their reason for travel could be leisure, business,
VFR or special interest. Individuals may look for travel and tourism products that allow them to join in
with other people, for example, joining a guided tour or a group-based activity.
Alternatively, they may prefer their own company and seek solitude in their tourism activities and products.

Couples
A couple is two adults travelling together. Couples will be focused on spending time together; as
with individuals, this may be with other tourists or on their own. There are many travel and tourism products
designed for couples, from romantic hotels and restaurant tables set apart from others to a well-being spa holiday
for two.

Groups
Touristsmay travel as part of a group. There are a variety of different groups, which may include:
education groups
sports or hobby groups
groups of young people
groups of senior or retired tourists.

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Groups can include people of different ages. Each person in the group will have their own individual
needs and preferences as well as the needs of a group of tourists. A group may require a large table in the
restaurant where they can all eat together, or rooms in a hotel located close to each other.
Specific needs
Some tourists will have specific needs when travelling. Tourists may have:
o mobility disabilities: these can range from being a wheel chair user to being unable to walk or
stand fora long time
o sensory disabilities, such as hearing and visual impairments
o a medical condition
o dietary requirements – this could be due to allergies or religious beliefs
o language, religious or culturaldifferences. Each person will have their own
specific requirements and needs when using travel and tourism products. These requirements will
vary according to the specific need, but the common requirement of all these tourists is to have
equal access to products.

Although the different tourist types can be classified, as discussed, it is important to remember that
these classifications are not exclusive. For example, an ecotourist could be a family who have booked
their holiday independently, making them an independent tourist as well.

TYPES OF DESTINATIONS
Introduction
Destinations are places that tourists visit. There are different types of destinations. These include:
• beach and coastal destinations
• rural or countryside destinations
• urban, town or city destinations
• island destinations
• resorts.
Beach and coastal destinations
Beach and coastal destinations are places tourists visit near thesea. Grand Baie is an example of a beach destination in
Mauritius .

Rural or country side destinations

Black River Gorges National Park is an example of a rural destination in Mauritius. Rural (or
countryside) destinations include lake and mountain destinations, such as Breckenridge in Colorado,
USA. Breckenridge is an example of a mountain destination that is also a ski resort.

Urban destination
Urban, town or city destinations are towns and cities that tourists visit. Port Louis in Mauritius is:
• a port town.
• the biggest city in Mauritius.
• an urban destination.

Island destinations
Island destinations are islands that tourists visit. Mauritius is an example of an island
destination. Some destinations, for example, the island destination of Mauritius, can be
more than one destination type. Grand Baie is a beach and coastal destination on the island of

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Mauritius. There are different scales of destinations. Some smaller destinations are within larger
destinations. For example, Black River Gorges National Park and Seven Colored Earth Geopark (

Resorts
Resorts are places tourists visit for fun, for holidays, to relaxand to enjoy tourism activities. For
example, tourists enjoyn skiing at ski resorts. Purpose-built resorts such as theme parks have been
deliberately built to be places tourists visit for fun. Some resorts are destinations in and of themselves.
For example, beach destinations that are towns are sometimes called seaside
resorts. Some destinations have Integrated resort complexes that include hotel accommodation and
facilities such as restaurants and entertainment venues at a single site. Eco-resorts are environmentally
friendly resorts.

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